Flower pot and method for making

Abstract

Disclosed is a resin-aggregate mixture comprising polyurethane resin, aggregate (sand), silane compounds, iron oxide and powdered thermoplastic resins. Flower pots from this composition are cured either with a tertiary amine, base, or metallic ion. The cured pots subsequently are baked at a temperature sufficient to fuse the thermoplastic resin to provide a pot having air permeability but resistance to the permeation of water.

I claim: 
     
       1. A molded horticultural container structure prepared by: (1) forming a uniform admixture of a molding composition comprising: (a) an aggregate;   (b) up to 10 parts by weight of polyurethane resin binder per 100 parts (a);   (c) from 0.0005-0.1 parts by weight of silane compound per 100 parts (a);   (d) from 0.1-5 parts by weight of iron oxide pigment per 100 parts (a); and   (e) from 0.5-2.5 parts by weight per 100 parts (a) of a powdered thermoplastic polymer having an average particle size of from 20-12000 microns.     (2) molding the resultant admixture to a desired shape;   (3) curing the shaped mixture;   (4) baking said molded structure at a temperature to effect fusing of the powdered thermoplastic polymer component thereof.   
     
     
       2. The molded horticultural container structure of claim 1 wherein said polyurethane resin binder consisting essentially of; (a) an organic solvent solution of a non-aqueous phenolic resin which comprises a condensation product of a phenol having the general formula: ##STR4##  where A, B and C are hydrogen, hydrocarbon radicals, or halogen, with an aldehyde having the general formula R'CHO where R' is a hydrogen of a hydrocarbon radical of 1 to 8 carbon atoms; and   (b) a hardener component comprising liquid polyisocyanate.   
     
     
       3. The molded horticultural container structure of claim 2 wherein said phenolic condensate product has the general formula: ##STR5## wherein R is hydrogen or a phenolic substituent meta to the hydroxyl group of the phenol, m and n are numbers the sum of which is at least 2, and the ratio of m-to-n is at least 1, and X is a hydrogen or a methylol group, the molar ratio of said methylol group-to-hydrogen being at least 1. 
     
     
       4. The molded horticultural container structure of claim 3 wherein the said silane compound has the general formula: ##STR6## wherein R' is a hydrocarbon radical and preferably an alkyl radical of 1 to 6 carbon atoms and R is an alkyl radical, alkoxy-substituted alkyl radical, vinyl radical, acryloxy-substituted alkyl radical, epoxy-substituted alkyl radical, glycidoxy-substituted alkyl radical, mercapto-substituted alkyl radical, ureido-substituted alkyl radical, alkyl-amino-substituted alkyl radical in which the alkyl groups have from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or other organo-functional silane adhesion promoters. 
     
     
       5. The molded horticultural container structure of claim 4 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polyolefin. 
     
     
       6. The molded horticultural container structure of claim 4 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
       7. The molded horticultural container structure of claim 5 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is polyethylene. 
     
     
       8. The molded horticultural container structure of claim 7 wherein said polyethylene has an average a particle size of not greater than 300 microns.